A historical perspective examines societal and familial conditions and practices in relation to childrearing and explores their relationship to the ways children are viewed and handled today. An analysis of children as victims details the characteristics of the child victim and the child perpetrator of crime, the incidence of criminality, and the role of familial violence in children's victimization and in children becoming offenders. Common types of victimization, the short-term and long-term effects for the child, and social and judicial responses to child abuse are also discussed. The problem of juvenile delinquency is examined in terms of the correlation between antisocial behavior and adolescence, trends in delinquency, social and etiological factors, the relationship between children as victims and as offenders, the role of the criminal justice system, and responses to juvenile crime. Recent legislation and programs to improve services to victimized and delinquent youth are summarized, and further improvements and a model statute are proposed. Tables, chapter notes, bibliographic essay, index, and 40 references.